Modular assembly for attaching skirt facade to an air handling unit

ABSTRACT

A modular assembly for supporting a skirt facade and attaching same to an air handling unit, the assembly being adapted to be cantilevered from a wall support at one end projecting therefrom and engaging with a skirt facade in a preselected angular relationship at the other end.

O United States Patent 1 1 3,782,062 Woods et a1. Jan. 1, 1974 [54] MODULAR ASSEMBLY FOR ATTACl-[ING 2,859,494 11/1958 Hull 52/473 SKIRT FACADE o AN AIR HANDLING 2,350,771 6/1944 Klunder 98/37 UNIT 2,282,733 5/1942 Malloy 98/37 3,216,161 11/1965 Forsman 52/219 X [75] Inventors: Walter E. Woods; Paul E, 2,807,061 9/1957 Stone 52/74 Hammann, both of B n nd -f I 2,848,764 8/1958 Turteltaub 52/75 [73] Assignee: American Air Filter Company, Inc., FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS Louisville, Ky. 551,332 10/1956 Belgium 52/473 165,603 7/1921 Great Britain..... 98/37 [22] Flled: July 14, 1972 777,955 3/1935 France 98/37 [21] Appl. No.: 272,079

- Primary ExaminerFrank L. Abbott Alt me -Ral h B. Brick et al. 52 vs. Cl 52/75, 52/73, 52/199 0 y p [51] Int. Cl E04f 10/08 581 Field of Search 52/74, 75, 73, 473, [57] ABSTRACT 52/213, 219, 199, 196 98/17, 27, 38 A modular assembly for supporting a skirt facade and attaching same to an air handling unit, the assembly 5 References Cited being adapted to be cantilevered from a wall support UNITED STATES PATENTS at one end projecting therefrom and engaging with a skirt facade in a preselected angular relationship at 2,733,485 2/1956 Knight 52/473 the other end 3,425,178 2/1969 Stone et a1... 52/218 1 2,788,550 4/1957 Andrews 52/473 X 1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDJAN H914 3.782.062

SHEET 2 [If 2 Fig. 4

MODULAR ASSEMBLY FOR ATTACIIING SKIRT FACADE TO AN AIR HANDLING UNIT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a means for supporting skirt facade in spaced relation from an air-handling unit, and more particularly, to an improved modular assembly adapted to be used in conjunction therewith in such a manner as to conceal the appearance of an air handling unit.

Air handling units, especially of the type which are roof mounted, are normally not provided with skirt facade owing to the difficulty of mounting the facade to an air handling unit as well as the cost involved in mounting the facade to the unit. Thus, it has been conventional in the construction of air handling units to expose these units, the result being less than an attractive appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, it is recognized that it is desirable to provide a conveniently installed attractive skirt facade which may be used in conjunction with air handling units. It is further recognized that it is desirable to provide an improved facade construction in which cost of fabrication and mounting the facade to an air handling unit may be of a reasonably low order thereby adding very little to the total cost of the air handling unit. Also, it is recognized that it is desirable to provide an assembly for mounting a skirt facade to an air handling unit which requires little cost and is relatively easy to assemble and disassemble.

The present invention advantageously provides a straightforward arrangement for the mounting of skirt facade to and in spaced relation from an air handling unit. The present invention further provides a modular assembly for mounting skirt facade to an air handling unit which is reasonably low in cost and easy to assemble. The present invention also provides a means for mounting skirt facade to an air handling unit at a preselected angular relationship thereto.

Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth hereinafter.

More particularly, the present invention provides a modular assembly adapted to project from an outside wall support of an air handling unit for supporting a skirt facade in spaced relation therefrom, the assembly comprising: at least one elongated support member secured at one end to the outside wall support and a mounting bracket at the other end, the mounting bracket being positionable relative the other end of the elongated support for mounting the facade in a preselected angularly spaced position from the air handling unit.

It is to be understood that the description of the examples of the present invention given hereinafter are not by way of limitation and various modifications within the scope of the present invention wil occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of facia panels attached to an air handling unit utilizing a preferred modular assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cutaway in perspective taken along line 3-3 of the elevational view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of another preferred modular assembly of the present invention illustrating the mounting of facia panels in a vertical position; and,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the mounting bracket utilized in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 for mounting facia panels to cantilever support means.

FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 illustrate one preferred modular assembly of the present invention generally designated by the numeral 1 for mounting a skirt facade 2 to an air handling unit 3. The assembly 1 includes an L-shaped upper horizontally extending elongated member 4 and an L-shaped lower horizontally extending elongated member 10 attached to the air handling unit 3 by means of a vertical extending elongated member 5, elongated member 5 being attached to the air handling unit 3 by any known means such as, for example, welding. The horizontally extending elongated members 4 and 10 may be attached by any means, such as, bolts 6 and 7 and bolts 9 and 11, respectively, to the vertical support member 5. Attached to the outwardly extending portion of horizontally extending members 4 and 10 are mounting brackets 8, means for attaching the brackets 8 being discussed hereinafter.

The mounting bracket 8, as seen in FIG. 5, is of L- shaped cross-section and includes a first side portion 22 with an inclined outwardly extnding portion 23 at one end thereof, portion 23 being disposed at an angle with the side portion 22, the angle being identified by the letter a. Mounting bracket 8 further includes a second side portion 21, side portion 21 being perpendicular to one edge of the first side portion 22 and extending along the edge to the juncture of the side portion 22 with the inclined portion 23. The mounting bracket 8 also includes mounting apertures 24 and 26 in the side portion 21, aperture 27 in the side portion 22, and aperture 28 in the inclined outwardly extending portion 23. In the mounting of facade in a preselected angular position as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, aperture 26 in the side portion 21 is utilized along with the aperture 28 in the inclined portion 23. In the mounting of facade in a vertical position, aperture 24 and 26 in the side portion are utilized. Further description of the mounting of the bracket 8 to appropriate support members will be discussed hereinafter.

One mounting bracket 8, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, is attached to upper outwardly extending horizontal member 4 at apertures 26 and 28, apertures 26 and 28 being aligned with corresponding apertures (not shown) in the outwardly extending horizontal member 4 for receiving fastening means, such as, bolts 31 and 32, respectively therethrough. The mounting bracket 8 is attached to mounting channel 12 in perpendicular relationship thereto, mounting channel 12 being adapted to receive one end of mounting bracket 8 therein.

A second mounting bracket 8 is attached to lower outwardly extending horizontal member 10 at apertures 26 and 28, apertures 26 and 28 being aligned with apertures (not shown) in member 10 for receiving bolts 41 and 42, respectively, therethrough. The second mounting bracket is also attached to a mounting channel 12 in perpendicular relationship thereto, mounting channel 12 being adapted to receive one end of the mounting bracket 8 therein.

It is realized that since the mounting brackets 8 are attached angularly to the horizontally extending support members 4 and 10, the length of support members 4 and 10 will vary in relationship to the angle a (FIG. 2) and the vertical distance between the supports 4 and 10.

A plurality of facia panels 2 are attached to transversely extending elongated channel members 13 and 14, channel member 13 being the upper support for the facia panels 2 and channel member 14 being the lower support channel for the facia panels 2. Channel members l3 and 14 are adapted for receiving mounting channels 12 therein, mounting channel members 12 being parallel to the transversely extending channel members 13 and 14. Means for attaching the mounting channels 12 to the longitudinally extending channel members 13 and 14 may be by any means, but as illustrated in FlG. 2, channel members 13 and 14 are provided with apertures therein for alignment with corresponding apertures in channel members 12 with mounting bolts passed therethrough. As shown in FIG. 2, channel member 12 is attached to elongated channel member 13 by bolts 33 and 34 and mounting channel 12 is attached to elongated channel support member 14 by bolts 35 and 36.

For additional support to the lower support member 10, a diagonal support member 20 is provided. Diagonal support member 20 is attached to vertical member (FIGS. 2 and 4) by bolt means 38 at one end and to support member by bolt means 39 at the opposite end.

F IG. 4 illustrates another preferred method of mounting the facia panels 2 to an air handling unit 3 wherein the facia panels 2 are in a vertical position parallel to the air handling unit 3. In this embodiment, the upper and lower longitudinally extending horizontal members are of the same length and may be the same member as, for example, lower member 10 of FIGS. 1,

2, and 3. In this example, bracket 8 is mounted to the upper horizontal extending L-shaped support 10 by aligning aperture 26 of the bracket 8 with the aperture 30 (FIG. 2) in the L-shaped support member 10 with the bolt 51 being passed therethrough. Aperture 24 is aligned with a corresponding aperture in the L-shaped support member 10 and bolt 54 is passed therethrough.

It is realized that by changing the angle a, the angular relationship between portions 22 and 23, it is possible to mount the facia panels 2 at many different angular relationships.

It is further realized that various changes may be made to the specific embodiment shown and described without departing from the principles of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A modular assembly adapted to project from an outside wall support of an air handling unit for supporting a skirt facade in spaced relationship therefrom, the assembly comprising: at least one elongated support member secured to one end to said outside wall support and a mounting bracket at the other end, said mounting bracket being positionable relative said other end of said elongated support for mounting said facade in a preselected angularly spaced position from said air handling unit, said mounting bracket being of L-shaped cross-section having a first side portion and a second side portion, the side portions being perpendicular to each other, said first side portion having an inclined outwardly extending portion at one end thereof and extending generally in the same direction as said second side portion and at a preselected angular relationship with said first side portion, said second side portion and said inclined portion having apertures therein for alignment with corresponding apertures in said elongated support member, said aligned aperturs being adaptable for receiving fastening means therethrough. 

1. A modular assembly adapted to project from an outside wall support of an air handling unit for supporting a skirt facade in spaced relationship therefrom, the assembly comprising: at least one elongated support member secured to one end to said outside wall support and a mounting bracket at the other end, said mounting bracket being positionable relative said other end of said elongated support for mounting said facade in a preselected angularly spaced position from said air handling unit, said mounting bracket being of L-shaped cross-section having a first side portion and a second side portion, the side portions being perpendicular to each other, said first side portion having an inclined outwardly extending portion at one end thereof and extending generally in the same direction as said second side portion and at a preselected angular relationship with said first side portion, said second side portion and said inclined portion having apertures therein for alignment with corresponding apertures in said elongated support member, said aligned aperturs being adaptable for receiving fastening means therethrough. 